A Little Pep Talk
by cheri1
Summary: 10Rose After the events of Runaway Bride, the Doctor visits London and gives a little pep talk to a teenage Rose. One Shot.


The Doctor opened the TARDIS door and stepped out. It had been about a year since he had defeated the Racnoss queen and saved Donna. He had been alone since then, traveling aimlessly trying to forget Rose. He had been all over time and space getting into trouble and helping others, trying desperately to find something to take his mind off of her. Nothing worked and after all this time, the Doctor concluded that he wasn't able to get over Rose, and he probably never would. She was the love of his life and despite the pain he felt in his hearts, he was thankful that he had found her.

He had stopped off in London for an hour or two. Thanks to Rose, he had developed a taste for chips, and he had a fierce craving for some now. He also wanted to find somewhere where he could sit in peace and sort out his thoughts before heading on, and London was usually quiet and monster free for the most part. He stepped out of the alley the TARDIS was sitting in and walked down the street towards his favorite restaurant, The Phoenix. Rose had recommended it to him, and they had gone there once on a whim. He fell in love with the good cooking, and he and Rose went there often when they needed a break. It was painful to visit it without her, but he couldn't bear to give it up, so he set aside all the happy memories of him and Rose eating there and went inside to order.

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The Doctor sat his plate of fish and chips and his glass of Coke on one of the outdoor tables. He quickly ran across the street to a newsstand, brought a copy of the Times, and hurried back to his seat. Being the avid reader that he was, he always liked to peruse the Times whenever he visited London, just to get an idea of the goings on. He picked up the paper and his fork preparing to dig into his fish. He paused and frowned when he noticed the date on the paper.

July 23, 2003

"2003," he muttered. "Bollocks, I was shooting for 2008."

He shrugged.

"Ah well, 2003, 2008, what's the difference?" he muttered.

There was a difference though, and he knew it. It was the reason why he had deliberately chosen 2008. Because he knew that if it was 2003, then that meant that Rose was still in London. Granted she was 17 now, and it was two years before they would meet, but he still didn't want to run into her. Not when he knew he couldn't put his arms around her and hold her tight against him. It was far too painful to think about.

For a moment, he considered abandoning his meal and heading back to the TARDIS. After all, Rose was the one who recommended this place. It was her favorite restaurant. What if she…"

The Doctor shook those thoughts from his mind. What were the odds of her visiting The Phoenix at that exact moment? Besides, even if she did see him, she wouldn't know who he was. She hadn't even met his former self yet. He settled back in his chair and perused the paper, as he ate his fish.

He shoulda known. The universe was never kind to him, why would he think this time would be any different? As he sat and ate his meal, he suddenly heard a very familiar voice from somewhere behind him. Turning pale, he dropped the paper and jerked around in his seat.

"Oh Rassilon, no," he murmured as he saw Rose and another woman heading right towards The Phoenix.

He quickly turned back around and kept his head down as the two giggling girls walked past him towards the front door. He had an urge to throw down his paper and run away as fast as he could to avoid the heartache he knew he would get from looking at her, but when he looked through the window at her and her friend ordering their meals, he suddenly felt the urge to stay and observe her.

"Let's sit out here, Shireen, it's a lovely day," Rose said to her friend, as she opened the front door.

The Doctor quickly jerked the paper up to his face watching as Rose and Shireen sat down at the table right across from his. He moved his head slightly every so often watching as Rose laughed and joked with her friend while she ate her cheeseburger and chips. His hearts beat rapidly when he saw her long blonde hair blowing gently in the breeze. The sun shining above her illuminated the hair making her look like the angel he always knew she was. He felt his eyes mist over and quickly looked back to his paper trying not to cry when he heard his beloved giggling next to him.

"Oooooo, look Rose, over there."

The Doctor glanced over and saw that Shireen was now looking at him and grinning at Rose. The Doctor buried his nose in the paper, as Rose and Shireen giggled.

"What a hottie," Shireen muttered to Rose.

"Yeah, he is," Rose muttered back.

The Doctor couldn't help but smile at that. His eyes widened and his hearts raced when he heard Shireen say, "Go over there, and talk to him."

The Doctor glanced back down the road wondering if he should make a run for the TARDIS.

"I can't, Shireen," he heard Rose say.

"Why not?" Shireen asked her.

"'Cause I'm with Mickey."

"So, Mickey isn't here. He'll never know, Rose. I won't tell him. Go over there and say hello, I dare ya!"

The Doctor cursed himself inwardly. He never should have allowed himself to stay, but at the same time, he was curious wanting to know how all this was going to play out. His longing for Rose overrode his need to leave, and he reached around the newspaper for a chip hoping and dreading the moment when Rose would decide to come over and talk to him.

"What if he's with someone?" Rose hissed at Shireen.

"Then, you get up and come back over here as soon as someone shows up," Shireen hissed back. "I'll be your lookout, yeah? Just go over there and talk to him."

The Doctor hazarded a glance over at Rose. He saw Rose hesitate for a moment and then slowly she pushed back her chair. He took a deep breath to steady himself as Rose hesitantly walked over, pulled up the chair in front of him, and sat down. The Doctor took another deep breath and slowly lowered the paper giving her a quizzical look.

"Um…"

Rose bit her lower lip, as the Doctor stared at her. He smiled thinking how cute she always looked when she bit her lip like that. Rose remained silent casting glances over at Shireen who was silently egging her on. She looked back at the Doctor.

"Um…" she said. " Look, I'm sorry, if I'm bothering ya. It's just that my friend put me up to all this."

The Doctor stifled a laugh when he heard Shireen say, "No, you git, don't tell him that!" in a loud stage whisper.

Shireen put her head in her hands and groaned as Rose turned a deep shade of crimson. The Doctor stared at the whole scene in amusement. He looked at Rose, and his hearts sank when he noticed that she was on the verge of sprinting back to her seat.

"It's okay," he said quickly before she left. "I always enjoy a little company with my fish and chips. I'm…John," he added extending his hand.

Rose took his hand and a jolt of electricity shot through the Doctor's body. It was all he could do not to leap up and take her in his arms.

"I'm Rose," she said.

"Nice to meet you, Rose," the Doctor said.

He paused a moment, as he held her hand thinking how good it felt in his palm. He hesitated a moment and then dared to kiss the back of it gently. He leaned back up and grinned when he noticed Rose's face was fire engine red, and Shireen was murmuring, "Bloody Hell, he kissed her hand!" under her breath.

The Doctor let go of her hand, chiding himself silently for his brazenness.

"I'm sorry…that was uncalled for," he said to Rose.

_Git, git, git,_ he thought mentally kicking himself. _Control yourself, for Rassilon's sake. She is not your lover here; she is a 17-year-old girl! Think, Doctor! Use your bleedin' brain!_

"No, it's okay," Rose replied. "I kinda like it. Shows you have some sophistication."

The Doctor grinned.

_Oho, so that's why Mickey-boy lost out to me in the end,_ he thought _Score one for Time Lord sophistication and now here comes another point for me._

"Well, I just believe in treating a woman like a queen, is all," he said giving her a million pound smile.

The smile fell off his face when Rose glanced at Shireen, and Shireen rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Geez…" he heard Shireen mutter to herself.

_Yeah, that was a bit corny sounding coming out of my mouth_, the Doctor thought to himself.

"I'm glad you think that way," Rose said. "But I'm hardly a queen."

The Doctor's eyes bugged out. He stared at her in shock.

_Is she kidding? _

"Why do you think that?" he asked intrigued.

Rose raised her eyebrows.

"Because I'm just an ordinary girl," she said. "There's nothing special about me. Nothing queen-like anyway."

_Oh, Rose, if you could only see what I see right now, know what I know. The things you'll be doing in two years time, _the Doctor thought.

"I beg to differ," The Doctor said.

Rose raised her eyebrow.

"Do ya?" she asked.

The Doctor nodded.

"I do. I know I don't know you, but sitting here even I can see that you are an above-average woman that will make a difference someday."

"Oh blimey, this guy is smooth," Shireen muttered to herself.

She glanced at Rose trying to get her attention. She frowned when she saw Rose's attention was focused completely on the Doctor.

"Oh Lord, she's falling for it too," Shireen muttered under her breath. "Leave, Rose, the man's probably a pervert. He's sweet-talking ya 'cause he wants ya to get in his pants."

She instantly regretted her decision to send Rose over to the man's table when he saw him lean forward and stare at her intently.

"Don't doubt yourself, Rose. You can do anything you put your mind to," the Doctor told Rose. "Believe in yourself and you'll go far."

He knew he was pushing it, but he hated the though of his Rose thinking she was not special. Not when he had seen her in action and knew the truth about her. She was the Bad Wolf, the woman who had taken the vortex into her body and destroyed the god of the Daleks and the entire Dalek fleet. She was an amazing woman and for Rose to consider herself less than nothing was an insult the Doctor couldn't ignore. He realized she was just a teenager and it was not uncommon for teenagers to have low-self esteem and talk negatively about themselves, but then again, she was a teenager when she started traveling with him and he had seen her do things that most people wouldn't even dream of doing. No, he loved far too much to let her walk around with a low self-image of herself.

"I…I never heard anyone say anything like that to me," Rose said blushing.

The Doctor widened his eyes.

"No one's ever told you that you were something special?" he said hardly daring to believe his ears.

Rose shook her head.

"I find that hard to believe," the Doctor said incensed.

_Not even Mickey told her that? Oh, I'm so glad Mickey-boy's in another dimension because I feel like throttling him right now,_ he thought angrily.

He noticed from Rose's shocked reaction that he had gone too far again. A lump formed in his throat when Shireen jumped up from her chair and grabbed Rose by the arm.

"I'm sorry…John," she said with a polite smile on his face. "Can I talk to my friend for a moment in private?"

Before he could say anything, Shireen pulled Rose out of the chair and hurried her over to the side of the building.

"Bollocks!" The Doctor muttered putting his head in his hands. "Me and my enormous gob, I just scared Rose half to death. No wonder she was terrified when I regenerated. Probably the first thought that went through her mind was that the Doctor had been kidnapped by the chip-eating weirdo from The Phoenix."

"Rose, think, any man who talks like that to a woman he doesn't know is just looking for a quick shag!" he heard Shireen saying to her.

He sighed as he got up from his seat.

"And on that note, I think I'll go back to the TARDIS," he said bitterly. "Before I do any more damage and Rose ends up not traveling with me at all."

He quickly hurried away from the restaurant.

"Wait! John, wait!"

The Doctor stopped and looked over his shoulder, as Rose ran up to him.

"I'm sorry about Shireen," she said. "She means well."

"Well, I shouldn't have been that forward with you," the Doctor said. "She's right, we barely know each other, and I'm sitting there telling you to raise your self-esteem and look at yourself as a queen."

"Yeah, but that was brilliant. I loved hearing you say those words," Rose replied.

"You did?"

"Yeah, thanks," Rose said smiling.

She ran her hand through her hair.

"I've been feeling kinda low lately," she said. "I mean, I'm not doing well in school. My boyfriend Mickey's being an arse and I…I mean I'm gonna graduate soon and I have no idea what I wanna do with my life. My mum just wants me to pick some sensible career and settle down and raise a family, but I know there's something more for me out there than that. I know there's something big on the horizon for me, but I don't know what, ya know what I mean?"

"Yes, I know exactly what you mean," the Doctor said grinning from ear to ear.

"It's the not knowing that bugs me," Rose said. "I mean I just know that there's something out there for me besides a 9 to 5 job, a house and a family but I can't imagine what it is. See, I'm just…ordinary."

"Ah, Rose, an ordinary person can make an extraordinary difference if you give them the chance," the Doctor replied.

Rose nodded.

"I agree…it's just sometimes…I wonder if that's true of me," she said.

The Doctor's hearts swelled with pride, as he stared at Rose with love.

"I think it is, Rose. I think it is true of you. I think you will definitely make a difference," he said unable to hide the pride in his voice.

Rose stared at him for a moment.

"Who are you?" she finally said.

The Doctor frowned.

"I'm…John," he said confused.

"No, I mean…"

Rose hesitated.

"Go on," the Doctor urged gently.

"I mean…it sounds crazy what I want to say," Rose said.

"Try me."

Rose hesitated.

"I just…feel like I know you, somehow. I'm just so comfortable talking to you. I mean all the things I've just been telling you, I haven't even told Shireen because I'm afraid she'll laugh at me. But, something about you makes me trust you. Makes me want to tell you these feelings I have. I mean, it sounds crazy---"

"No, Rose, it's not crazy at all," The Doctor said quietly. "What you're saying makes perfect sense to me."

"But, what does it mean?"

The Doctor smiled. He took her hand in his, and his smile widened when Rose did not pull away.

"I can't tell you, Rose. But, you are meant for great things, you just have to trust that and wait for your moment to come. You'll know it when it comes, Rose, believe me."

Rose stared into his eyes and nodded.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"You're welcome, Rose."

He gave her hand a squeeze and reluctantly let it go. Rose looked at him for a moment and then looked around at Shireen who was staring at her impatiently.

"I better go. Shireen's waiting for me," Rose said.

The Doctor nodded.

"Just remember my words, Rose. Great things are coming for you, I promise," he said.

Rose nodded and smiled. She took one last look at the Doctor before she turned and walked back to Shireen.

"I love you, Rose," the Doctor murmured. "You'll always be a queen to me."

He gave her one last look and then turned and headed back towards the TARDIS.

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(Three years later…)

The Doctor groaned.

"The Phoenix, again?" he teased as he winked at Rose. "Can't we go somewhere different for a change whenever we're in London?"

He grinned when Rose punched his arm.

"Right, the moment I suggest something different you'll be throwing a little baby fit and giving me a hundred reasons why The Phoenix is better than any other restaurant in London," Rose replied.

"A hundred and one reasons actually," the Doctor replied. "I have the list in my pocket if you're interested."

Rose groaned and rolled her eyes, as the Doctor opened the front door and ushered her inside.

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"Ah, beautiful day!" the Doctor said, as he and Rose settled into the chairs at one of the outdoor tables.

"Yup, it is," Rose said nodding as she picked up a chip.

The Doctor paused and stared at Rose. The sun was shining on her head making it glow.

"You look so beautiful with the sunlight in your hair," he said in a dreamy voice. "So beautiful. So angelic."

"I look like a queen?" Rose said grinning.

The Doctor smiled.

"Yes, exactly, you look like a queen, Rose," he said.

Rose giggled.

"I remember that day I sat here with ya and you kissed my hand and told me you believed in treating a woman like a queen," she murmured.

The Doctor frowned.

"When was that?" he said.

Rose smiled.

"That day I was here with Shireen. You were sitting across from us and I came over on a dare and talked to you."

The Doctor stared at her.

"I repeat…when was that?" he said.

Rose stared at him.

"When I was 17, you were sitting here reading the newspaper and Shireen and I came here to get lunch and---"

"17? I didn't meet you until you were 19!"

"No, I was 17. I remember because I was still in school at the time. I came here to eat lunch with Shireen and you were sitting there reading the Times and eating fish and chips. You told me all these wonderful things about how I was going to do great things and how I had this destiny and how special I was. It was you, Doctor! You were sitting right where you are sitting now! That's one of the reasons why I was so freaked out when you regenerated because I recognized ya from that day! You were sitting right there wearing a blue suit and a red tie and red trainers and---"

"Whoa? Wait, a blue suit? I don't own a blue suit, and I don't own red trainers."

"That's what you were wearing though. I swear to God, Doctor, it was you!" Rose insisted.

The Doctor stared at her in confusion. Then, it finally dawned on him.

"It hasn't happened yet," he muttered to himself.

"Huh?"

"It hasn't happened yet."

Rose stared at him.

"What d'ya mean, it hasn't happened yet? I was sitting right here---"

"No, Rose, it hasn't happened to _me_ yet," the Doctor said. "I apparently go back in time at some point when you are 17 years old and I have lunch here and we meet. It hasn't happened to _me_ yet, that's why I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh!" Rose said.

She shook her head.

"Time travel is confusing sometimes," she said.

"Yes, it is. Especially when people keep insisting I've done things I haven't even done yet," the Doctor replied.

"Well, I just want to tell you that your little pep talk is probably what saved your life the day I met ya," Rose said.

"How so?" the Doctor asked.

Rose smiled.

"When we under the Eye that day and I was too scared to move and unsure what to do, I suddenly remembered your words to me about how I could do anything I put my mind to, and how there was greatness in me, and that gave me the courage to trust in myself and my abilities, and I ran to that chain and I rescued you. So, your future self helped save your past self, I guess."

"Why did you refuse then when I asked you to come with me the first time?" the Doctor said. "If I helped you to realize that you had greatness and there was more for you than London, why did you turn me down?"

Rose thought for a moment.

"I guess because I was afraid to leave at first what was…familiar to me. You know, you were offering to take me away from the only home I'd ever known into unfamiliar territory. It was scary for me and I said no because I…I…"

"You were afraid to break out of your box?" the Doctor offered.

"Yeah, I was afraid of breaking out of the box and being something more than an average shop girl," she said.

"So, then why did you go with me the second time?"

Rose smiled.

"Because you told me I would know it when my moment of destiny would come and hey, who am I to argue with destiny when an alien in a blue box suddenly comes into my life?"

The Doctor smiled and leaned forward to kiss her.

"So, let me ask you this then, why did you decide to come back for me the second time if you didn't have the pep talk with me yet?" Rose asked.

"Well, I was flying the TARDIS through the vortex and suddenly I just slapped myself on the forehead and said, "Wait a tic, I just left an incredibly cute girl back there." And I slammed on the breaks and headed back at full speed."

He giggled, as Rose hit him repeatedly on the head and arm.

"What? I was randy!" the Doctor said, covering his head, as Rose continued to slap him. "Can I help it if you're good looking?"

"It's a good thing you are my destiny, buster, because I'm about to put my foot up your arse for that!" Rose said giggling.

"What? You are! I'm just being truthful! Why did you think I followed you to your flat? Can you blame me for stalking you? I…"

He laughed, as Rose began to hit him repeatedly with her purse. She laughed, as he ducked under the table and grinned at the other patrons who were giving them odd looks.

"Okay, I'll let you up just because the other people are probably on their mobiles calling the loony bin to come get us," Rose said.

The Doctor popped up under the table and grinned at her.

"Ah, let them phone. We'd be a million years away before they can get the straitjackets around us," he said.

Rose smiled at him.

"I'm so glad I took your advice when I was 17. I would be missing out on all this fun now!"

"Well, I'm glad I gave you advice when you were 17. Shame I can't remember what I told you but I guess I'll find out eventually," he said.

He raised his glass of Coke.

"In the meantime, here's to you, Rose, and the remarkable woman I've helped you become. I'm so glad I have sense enough to talk to you in the future, so you can save my hide in the past."

Rose raised her glass.

"And here's to you, Doctor, who showed a confused 17 year old who she really was inside and for having the restraint to not throw me on this table and shag me senseless afters."

The Doctor paused.

"Hey, that's a thought. I need to make a note of that when I get back to the TARDIS so when that day does come, I'll be able to---"

"Die and regenerate after I beat the Hell outta ya?" Rose said.

The Doctor paused.

"Um, on second thought, knowing you, maybe that isn't such a good idea. Ah, well, good things come to those who wait anyway." The Doctor said.

Rose rolled her eyes and grinned. They clinked glasses and drank a toast to each other and to the good things that were to come.

THE END


End file.
